AP: Ohio killer to get 2-drug shot untried in US

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio says it will use a never-tried dose of two drugs injected intravenously to put to death an inmate who raped and killed a pregnant woman.

The approach has never been used in a U.S. execution.

The decision obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday means the state was unable to obtain an unregulated batch of pentobarbital (pen-tuh-BAR'-buh-tahl). That's the drug Ohio used until its manufacturer put it off limits for executions.

The state says it will instead use a combination of the sedative midazolam (my-DAZ'-oh-lam) and the painkiller hydromorphone in the Jan. 16 execution of Dennis McGuire.

The drugs were part of a backup method in which they would be injected into muscle if the intravenous method failed. Because the pentobarbital is unavailable, the two-drug combination will be injected into McGuire's veins.